I remember the first time someone described Brazilian Jiu Jitsu to me. This was back in 1994, I worked in a photo lab and while waiting for our photographs to print we had a chance to shoot the shit. “It’s crazy man!” my coworker screamed, “there’s this guy who rolls around on the floor like a monkey and he grabs the other fighters and puts them in holds and no one can beat him.” I was immediately intrigued. Having been a martial arts fan forever, I could remember this seemed an exciting prospect. Then my coworker went on to explain something even more fascinating. “it’s all part of a tournament.” He said. “You fight three times in one night. If you win all the fights then you win the tournament. It’s called the UFC.”
This was what I was waiting for since I saw the opening scene to Enter The Dragon. This was what I was waiting for while I watched fake wrestling on TV.
The guy rolling on the floor turned out to be none other that Royce Gracie. And the UFC turned out to be The Ultimate Fighting Championship. I couldn't wait to see this in person. It turned out that it was not legal in New York. In fact, it was barely legal anywhere. While there were various events I could have attended in the east coast I did manage to finally get to a UFC event in November 21, 2003. UFC 45: Revolution was held at Mohegan Sun Arena. An additional highlight was that this event marked the tenth year anniversary of the UFC and inducted Royce Gracie and Ken Shamrock into the UFC Hall Of Fame. Also on hand that night to receive a viewers choice award were Randy Couture, Pat Miletich, Tank Abbott, Dan Severn, Don Frye, Marco Ruas, Mark Coleman and Oleg Taktarov. After the event the audience swarmed the casino like a hungry beast. The friends I drove to the event with were busy gambling and I was meeting the fighters who stayed to greet fans. I’m not a fan of getting autographs from anyone but I did get one from Royce Gracie.
Fast forward seven years and the dream of sitting at the Garden with a beer and a hot dog waiting for the main event to begin, losing my voice from screaming, walking out to seventh avenue, hailing a cab and going home is still just a dream. But I have a feeling that some day soon I’ll be sitting in the Garden saying to myself: “This is what I was waiting for.”
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I think you meant UFC 45
ReplyDeleteAlso, only Royce and Ken were inducted into the "Hall of Fame" at this event.
I think you were thinking about the Viewer's Choice Award were 10 fighters were chosen by fans including the ones you listed, aswell as Tank, Coleman, Ruas and Oleg.
The only reason I know the stuff about the Viewers Choice Award is because I looked it up when you had Pat Miletich and Don Frye listed as Hall of Famers.
I wish I was going to live events back then. To have your first UFC event on an occasion like that (UFC 10th Anniversary) must have been amazing.
Hey thanks for the update I was going by memory. I thought I double checked it I guess since I'm writing for Budo it should behoof me to double check my info.
ReplyDeleteAnyways, per your post it was amazing. We didn't have the best seats but walking around the casino meeting them was great, like I said in my post my friends were gambling and I was running around meeting all the great fighters. I was like a 8 year old. Meeting Royce was awesome, they were trying to pull him away to leave and I was the last one and as he was about to leave, I said "Royce Please!" and he stopped to give me his autograph. I raised my hand to shake hands with him but I was so nervous that I put it down and then he raised his hand and we were like raising our hands as the other lowered it.